The Warrior

The two companions walked into a warzone. Brent quickly opened the door for the two to walk in and ducked into the kitchen as Dayna flung a rattle at him from the upstairs.
"Dayna! What's going on?" Duncan yelled, his face imploring her not to throw any more items. She burst into tears and ran into the unfinished nursery.

"I'll go." Irene assured Duncan, touching his arm lightly before climbing the staircase and entering the room she had become so used to over the past two months.
"Dayna, what's- what's happening?" She asked her gently, lowering herself to the other woman who sat on the floor. Irene joined her and began to rub her back as Dayna cried, now switching her position so she cried into Irene's shoulder.
Not one to complain to a woman who was clearly having a breakdown, she just allowed Dayna to cry herself dry before asking her again, "Do you want to talk about it?"
Her face emerged from Irene's shoulder, swollen and red from tears and she blurted, "Brent can't conceive- he knew and he never told me so all of this is a waste and I've spent so many years trying to have a baby!"

Irene's eyes widened. This was dangerous territory. She had never broached this subject with any of her vast range of friends. "Can't you adopt?"
"It's not the same! It's not my...our baby." Dayna shook her head and brought her knees to her face.
"Artifical insemination?" Irene opted, feeling utterly helpless in this situation. Dayna once again shook her head and stood shakily. Irene quickly stood and Dayna asked her, "Help get my in bed? I don't think I can walk right now."
She nodded, feeling this was probably the only way she could help the emotionally ailing woman. Irene gently guided her into the master bedroom and tucked her in and before she left the bedside, the woman spoke up from the conglomeration of blankets.
"I'll still pay you for the mural, Irene."
Irene shook her head and turned off the bedside lamp, "Don't worry about it, just feel better." She left the room and shut the heavy wooden door on her way out.

With one last glance at the closed door, she descended the stairs to find the two men still in the kitchen.
"She's blaming me, Duncs!" Irene walked into the middle of Brent's rant and stood close behind Duncan.
Both of them turned their eyes to her and she told them, "Dayna's in bed now, you two should be quiet." Brent sat down at the kitchen table, putting his head in his hands and then running them through his hair. "I don't understand how this went south so fast. First the doctor said that everything was fine, we just needed to try harder- I didn't even want a kid yet! Then Dayna got frantic, she just wouldn't get pregnant, so we went to another doctor who ran tests on both of us. She's infertile. We just came home from the hospital and I told her that it was fine, we could make do- I love her, everything would work out." He made a pained noise and continued, "She blamed me. Acted like the doctor was lying. God, Duncs. What am I going to do?"

"Stay at my house the night." Duncan offered logically and when Brent looked up at him like he was speaking in tongues, Irene spoke up from behind him, "She won't appreciate it if you're here when she wakes up. Give her time to think."

Brent nodded, taking what they said as wisdom and agreed.
"Let's go. Take your car, I'm driving Irene home." Duncan pulled an extra house key off of his keyring and tossed it at his best friend. "You know where the blankets and pillows are, yeah?" Brent once again nodded and Duncan gently took Irene's hand and led her out of the house.

"Sorry I brought you there." He apologized to her once they were on the city's vast layout of streets again, Duncan's car navigating through what little traffic was left.
"It's fine. I figured she didn't mind another female being there. What do you think is gonna happen?" Irene couldn't help but wonder.

"They'll get back together. At least- I think so." For once, Duncan sounded generally unsure of himself and that made Irene suck her bottom lip into her mouth and chew on it nervously. It might not be her family and her friends, but she has been closer to these particular clients than any other. Irene didn't even care about getting the other half of the mural payment anymore- she was generally worried about Dayna. Irene assumed Duncan realized her not-so-high opinion of his best friend because he asked her, "You don't like Brent, do you?"

"I don't really know him, so I'm not one to pass judgment." She replied, fiddling with her jeans. Duncan already knew how to weave through her blockades, "But you don't want to get to know him? Which is fine with me, of course," He chuckled lightly, "because I'd like to keep you to myself- but he's not that bad of a guy, I promise."

Duncan's main worry was that Irene and his best friend would not mesh. If they hated each other, he'd have to pick sides and he was a strong believer in the age old adage of 'bros before hoes' and even though it was kind of harsh, it was true.
He silently sighed as he waited for her reply.
"I believe you. I haven't really gotten a chance to talk to him, but I guess I can trust your judgment."
Duncan smiled a bright smile at Irene, who gave him a small smile back.
"Good."

He carefully pulled his SUV into a parking spot near her apartment and turned off the engine. "I'm walking you to your door. This isn't the most fantastic neighborhood, eh?"
Irene cracked a large smile at the small seepage of Canadian into his speech.
They walked slowly to her door and when they finally reached it, she diverted her eyes to Duncan's chest.
"This is where I kiss you goodnight, right?" He quietly asked her. Irene felt pretty bold and raised her eyes back up to his blue ones and nodded.
He leaned in and they met halfway. Their lips pressed together and Irene almost thought that he would try to deepen it, but being the gentleman he was, Duncan pulled away first and smiled at her.
"Goodnight, Irene." He gently kissed her forehead and went off walking down the street to his car. He left her smiling and feeling slightly dizzy from the affection.